


Where I belong

by CALLEN37



Category: NCIS
Genre: Abusive Relationship, Family Secrets, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-23
Updated: 2013-02-15
Packaged: 2017-11-19 08:03:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/571022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CALLEN37/pseuds/CALLEN37
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tim is hiding a secret from his Boss and his team. When it comes out will Tim be able to face his fears and bring order back to his life and that of his son.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N Ok so maybe i'm being a bit ambitious posting 3 WIP's at once. This one has been sitting on Sammy's hard drive for about six months. But seeing as i'm a little bit busy this week. (On honeymoon with my marine * Fan-girl squeals*) I thought I would post this little teaser to get you going and see what you think of it.
> 
> Disclaimer (Serious one.) I do not own NCIS or the characters...but I wish I did. :P

Tim was tired as he picked up his backpack, Tony and Ziva had left an hour ago and Gibbs was still at his desk looking through the last of the day's paperwork.

His personal cell phone rang and Tim looked up concerned, "McGee" He said as calmly as he could.

He paled and leaned back in his seat, "Where are you?" he asked

"And where is Mrs. Winters?" he waited for an answer, "DAMMIT! Trey! Ok I'll call down, come on up."

Tim looked over at his boss and prayed for him to go for coffee, but instead Gibbs was looking over at him concerned. "In a minute Boss." Tim snapped as Gibbs started to ask questions.

Tim picked up the phone and called security. "There's a six year old kid standing outside Harry, black hair, mocha skin, glasses with a black backpack…Have you got him? Can you bring him up? …..thanks" Tim said and put the phone down.

Tim put his head in his hands, sighed, and picked up the phone. "It's Tim McGee, where's Trey?" He asked the woman on the other end sounded flustered.

"That's because he's here…..you're fired." He slammed the phone down.

* * *

Gibbs got up and walked over to Tim's desk.

"McGee is everything ok?"

"Just great boss, it's just that there is something I never told you," He started

"Ya wanna tell me now?" Gibbs asked seeing his junior agent troubled.

"Not really." Tim mumbled, "Look boss you can't tell Tony or Ziva or Abby. Its important, I wouldn't have brought it up only that stupid woman…."

The elevator dinged and Harry came in with a dirty, scruffy six-year-old boy.

"Daddy!" Trey ran across the room and launched himself at Tim's leg.

"Thanks Harry." Tim said giving the guard a halfhearted smile.

Tim dropped to his knees and gave his son a once over. "What happened?"

Trey sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve, "I broke a vase…..I didn't mean to and Mrs. Winters said….she said….she'd get momma….she won't will she! You promised she couldn't find me!" Trey started crying and Tim gathered his son up in his arms. "It's ok, I've got you, and we're safe."

Gibbs looked on concerned as Trey yelped as Tim picked him up. Tim stopped and looked at the boy's wrist.

Gibbs picked up his phone, "Ducky can you come up to the bullpen and bring your bag." He slammed it shut.

Tim reached into his desk and pulled out a Nutter Butter, "Here you go," He handed the boy the candy bar and realized Trey was looking at Gibbs.

"Who's the old guy?" Trey asked.

"Treyvon McGee! Manners." Tim scolded.

Trey looked down and gave a small grin at his dad.

Tim looked at him and grinned back. "Treyvon McGee meet my boss, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

Trey giggled, "He's named after my dog?" he asked

"Nope, the dog's named after me," Gibbs said. "So Trey how old are you?"

"I'm six Sir," Trey said.

"Don't call me sir." Gibbs said

Trey looked at his dad, "What do you call him?"

"Boss." Tim said.

Trey looked thoughtful, "OK, Boss." He said.

"How come you're out so late?" Gibbs asked.

"Didn't mean to," Trey mumbled.

"I'll explain in a minute," Tim said and then turned to Trey.

"I need to have a word with my Boss, Sit here." He took two steps and stopped "And NO….Just NO ok..."

Trey held up his one good hand "Aww dad, I only thought about it for a second." He protested.

* * *

Tim grinned and walked over towards the elevator that they both knew Ducky would be exiting at any moment.

"Sorry Boss, his babysitter is a drunk, she's usually sober when she has Trey, but he may have been pushing her buttons a bit."

"McGee you leave your kid with a drunk?" Gibbs growled.

"Its complicated boss, she's my neighbor and she works under the radar so to speak…look she's been ok till now and it's safer this way." Tim snapped.

Gibbs opened his mouth to admonish Tim for being this lax with his son when Ducky came out of the elevator,

"Jethro what's wrong?" he asked.

"It's Trey Ducky, he's hurt his wrist." Tim said.

"He's here?" Ducky asked and Tim nodded.

Ducky walked past them both into the bullpen.

"Uncle Ducky!" Trey said and ran up to the man and hugged him.

"Let's see Treyvon, show me your wrist." Ducky said.

Trey held his wrist out gingerly, "Mrs. Winters did it." He said quietly.

"Don't worry, I'm sure your father won't let you go back there," Ducky said giving Tim a pointed look.

"Nope, looks like we're on the move again anyway Ducky," Tim said casually.

Gibbs noticed how Ducky bristled at the innocent comment but carried on strapping up Trey's arm.

He gave him a sucker and ushered Tim out by the elbow.

"When." Was all that Ducky said.

"Two days ago, I was going to move him after work tomorrow, Mrs. Winters got a call from her. She's back again."

"Timothy, this is no way to live, I have told you before you need to tell Jethro, he can help you." Ducky pleaded knowing that Gibbs could hear him.

Tim pulled away, "No! You promised to keep it confidential, it's not affecting my work they don't need to know." Tim shook slightly as he stepped back.

"There is no stigma in this." Ducky said gently.

"N…No! We will be fine." Tim said and walked off to his son.

Trey looked up at his dad, "We moving again?" he asked.

Tim suddenly realized to his horror that Gibbs had heard the whole conversation with Ducky.

"Get your bag Trey it's time to go." Tim said ushering his son out of the bullpen.

* * *

Gibbs turned to Ducky, "Is he going to be ok?"

"Jethro, I think you should go and talk to Timothy, I know he could use a friend right now even if he says he doesn't need one."

Gibbs pulled up outside Tim's apartment block after Ducky had given him his real address and not the post office box number Tim had been using on his H.R forms.

It was a run down tenement building and as he entered, he heard raised voices from the floor above him, "YOU PUT HIM IN DANGER!" Tim voice was heard yelling.

"She told me you were a danger to him, I always believe the mother." Mrs. Winters snapped back at him.

From his vantage point below Gibbs was surprised to see his junior agent take a step back.

"When was she here?" he asked.

Mrs. Winters turned to go back into her apartment, "Not my business."

"WHEN!" Tim yelled.

"This morning, she says she'll be back for her son tonight." She said, "You take him and I'll call the cops for kidnapping."

"Bitch!" Tim said and walked into his apartment slamming the door.

Gibbs took the stairs two at a time.

"He's nuts, I'm calling the police." She said to Gibbs as he stopped outside Tims' door.

Gibbs flashed his badge, "I'll deal with it Ma'am." He said.

"About time." She muttered going into her apartment.

Gibbs listened outside the door, "But Dad, I just made friends." Trey whined.

"Pack what you can carry we are leaving tonight." Tim said, "And don't forget Jethro's bowls." He called out.

Gibbs hear Tim curse as he knocked something over and he decided to knock.

"Trey, hide." Tim said quietly as he drew his gun and answered the door.

Gibbs was surprised to find Tim holding a gun on him.

"OK now we talk." Gibbs said. "Tim looked behind Gibbs and then let him in.

He walked away and went to a small cupboard and opened it, "It's ok, keep packing," He said to his son and then turned to his boss.

"Boss, I don't have time." Tim started.

"Make it McGee, as Abby would say something Hinky is going on with you, you hide the fact you have a son, you've apparently moved twice this year and its only march! Ducky is concerned and so am I." Gibbs maneuvered Tim to the sofa and sat him down,

"It's Layla, She's found us. I cannot do this again Boss, I do not have time to talk we have to go." Tim began grabbing bags and filing them up.

"Ok, come to mine, just for a few days Tim." Gibbs said he knew Tim would not talk now, "I have to pick up some things I'll be back in an hour for you."

Tim nodded knowing it was useless to argue with Gibbs whilst desperately trying to pack.

Gibbs got up and left taking Trey with him, "He can help me while you pack," Gibbs said. Tim knew his stress was scaring his son so he agreed.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Tim carried on packing, he knew Trey would be safe with Gibbs and had sent Jethro with them so Trey would feel safe as well.

He had hated the look that Gibbs had given him; he knew that he, like others in the past would think that it was his entire fault. After all, he was a seasoned federal agent licensed to carry a gun and trained in hand-to-hand combat techniques, who would have thought he would 'allow' himself to be abused by his ex-girlfriend.

He packed his beloved typewriter and took the hard drive from his computer, packed Trey's toys, clothes and his favorite toys.

The last things he went to collect were his backpack, cell phone and Trey's laptop and got ready to take these out to the car.

Five minutes after Gibbs had left the door knocked again.

Tim figured Trey had forgotten something and absentmindedly opened the door.

"What did you forget…?" He voice trailed off as a fist collided with his face and he staggered back into the apartment.

"Layla…!" He choked out.

"Where's my son!" She demanded pushing him to the ground as he scrabbled back into the hallway.

Tim scrabbled back and used the wall as leverage to climb up. "He…he's not here," He said "He's safe."

She pushed him back down and started kicking over boxes, "Trey! Momma's here baby, I'm taking you home with me," She called.

"You're not taking him anywhere Layla, I'm a Federal Agent and I'm not scared of you!" He said standing his ground.

She whirled on him and backhanded him, he wiped the blood from his nose, "Aww Timmy's all brave now! Come on Tim I know the real you, you aren't brave and you won't hit me back."

"Please…." Tim's voice trailed off, "He's not here, Layla, He's six, He's your son and I won't allow you to hurt him again."

Layla hit him again and then smiled sweetly as she wiped the blood from his nose

"Timmy, Timmy, Timmy," She said. "You know it was your fault Trey got hurt, if you had only done as Derek and I asked."

Without meaning to Tim whimpered as he backed up.

She grabbed Tim's gun turning it over repeatedly in her hands "Maybe I should just shoot you then maybe you'd tell me."

"But," She continued talking to herself, "If I did that I'd never find Trey. He needs to watch when you fall to see what a spineless wimp his father is." She spat. "But I know how to bring him to me….." She said and shot Tim in the leg.

Tim screamed and Layla smiled.

"Don't worry Tim, you know I only do this because you deserve it, it's your fault you make me do it," She told him looking genuinely remorseful.

"I have to go now. Please don't make me have to hurt you again, next time have Trey around I want to see him."

She walked out the door as Tim grabbed his leg and tried to stop the bleeding.

* * *

Gibbs and Trey had just put the last of the boxes down as Ducky turned up.

"Uncle Ducky, Boss says we can stay with him for a few days again and then daddy and I may get a nice apartment this time," Trey said looking hopeful.

Ducky smiled at Trey, he was as always amazed after all the boy had seen and been through himself, that he was as upbeat and sunny as he was. Although he was McGee's son, he could see a lot of DiNozzo's attitude in him. He smiled to himself thinking about the reaction he would get from Tim if he ever voiced that opinion.

"I'm so pleased for you, so how's that wrist feeling," He asked.

"Better thank you, but you know they always heal fast." Trey said quietly.

Ducky could see the boy's mood going downhill.

"You do realize that Jethro has the perfect house for your wrist to mend, there is no internet access here."

"Really!" Trey looked completely incredulous.

"Really." Gibbs stated behind him,

"But…..How do you Facebook or twitter or …or play games?" He asked.

"I don't but I will show you what I do to relax later." Gibbs replied nodding in the direction of the basement.

Trey paled. "What's in there?"

"It's just my basement." Gibbs said, he looked surprised as Trey's eyes went wide and he started backing up to the door.

"No, no, no, no, no…." He started hyperventilating and shaking his head,

Ducky knelt down by Trey, "Treyvon, it's not your old home, your mother isn't there…will you let me show you?" He asked gently.

Treys huge hazel eyes, wet with unshed tears looked at Ducky.

"O…ok Uncle Ducky." He said holding out his hand.

Trey took the older man's hand and allowed him to lead him shaking to the basement door.

Ducky entered first, put on the light, and gave Trey a torch. "Just in case." He said smiling.

After a few steps, Trey could see the huge wooden structure in the basement.

"Is…is that a boat?" He asked in awe.

Gibbs smiled, "Sure is, wanna help build it?"

Trey nodded and walked up to it. "So you're going to take that wall out again then?" Trey asked noticing the small cracks along the wall where Gibbs had re-pointed the mortar.

Gibbs smiled, "you know out of all the people who come in here, you are the first one ever to know how I get the boats out. You must be very smart,"

"Sorry," Trey said looking ashamed at the ground.

Gibbs looked confused, "Sorry? Why are you sorry?"

"For making you feel stupid, and for being like my daddy," Trey replied.

"You haven't mad me feel stupid, in fact I'm proud Tim has such a smart son." Gibbs said and could not help but smile at the grin that Trey shot him.

Gibbs showed Trey up to his room and settled him down.

* * *

Half an hour later, he was sitting in the kitchen with Ducky.

"So, Duck…How did you come to find out about Trey and Tim?"

Ducky thought back to that fateful Sunday morning, He had been walking through the park near his home and he saw Tim and Jethro standing near a truck with boxes piled high inside. Tim was staring intently at the children's park and Ducky was curious to find out what had him so intrigued.

He noticed Tim had been paying attention to a small dark skinned boy of about four or five who was playing on a jungle gym when the boy slipped and fell. Seconds before that Tim bent down to pat Jethro on the head.

"DADDY!" The boy wailed tears rolling down his face as he inspected his skimmed knee.

Tim's head snapped up, he went running towards the boy, and much to Ducky's surprise lifted him up into a hug and proceeded to deal with his wound.

Ducky walked up behind them, "Here let me help." He said.

He was surprised when both Tim and the boy flinched.

"D.D. Ducky ! I can explain!" Tim stammered.

"Calm down Timothy, I believe you may be scaring your son." Ducky admonished gently, smiling at the boy. "Now young man, my name is Ducky and I am a friend of your fathers. I am a physician may I take a look at your knee?" he asked kindly.

Trey looked to his father for permission; Tim nodded and sat Trey on his lap.

"What's a phys…phys….one of those?" Trey asked.

Ducky smiled, "I'm sort of a Doctor and I work with your father at NCIS." Ducky told the boy as he placed a band-aid over his knee. He noticed bruising further up his leg and looked at Tim quizzically.

"I can explain Ducky." Tim repeated.

"Well Timothy, It's nearly time for tea so maybe you could both come with me," Ducky suggested he looked for Tim's Porsche. "Where is your car?" He asked.

Tim pointed to a nondescript Datsun piled high with boxes.

"Are you moving?" Ducky asked.

"I have to, my landlord threw us out." Tim replied.

* * *

Tim followed Ducky to his new house, he had moved out after his mother had died and had brought a small brownstone in Georgetown. Tim parked up behind Ducky and helped Trey out of his car seat.

Tiredly the little boy stuck close to his father's side as they walked into the house.

"You can let Jethro out in the back garden," Ducky said indicating a door through the kitchen.

"Thanks," Tim said and let him out to run. "No corgis Ducky?" He asked.

"Sadly no, it was too hard keeping them around after mother passed on." Ducky replied.

"Would you like a cup of Tea and some milk for …?" Ducky started.

"Treyvon," Tim informed him

"That's a very unusual name."

"His mother picked it, although I do really like it." He admitted.

Tim lifted Trey up onto a stool at Ducky's breakfast bar as Ducky gave the boy milk and cookies.

"Thank you," Trey said shyly.

Making sure Trey was safe, Tim turned to help Ducky with the tea things.

"Timothy, I want you to explain to me, why do you have a son that you haven't told anyone about? Also can you explain to me why your son acts like a typical abuse victim?" Ducky asked gently.

Tim slumped in the chair and put his head in his hands, "Because he is Ducky, we both are." Tim admitted and with shaking hand lifted his shirt to show Ducky the myriad of bruises adorning his torso.

Ducky could not hold in his gasp of horror and Tim looked to the floor ashamed.

"Who did this to you Timothy?" He asked

"Layla, Trey's mother," Tim whispered.

"Timothy, why did you not inform Jethro?" Ducky asked astonished.

"I can't Ducky, I just can't….he'd fire me for sure, a federal agent getting beat up by his ex-girlfriend." Tim took as deep a breath as he dare without wincing. "She finished with me last night and then started on Trey, this time I caught her, She screamed at me to take Trey and leave, so I took him home with me, my landlord found out and threw us out there and then. We spent last night in the car, I'm going to find a cheap motel tonight and we will look for somewhere in the morning," Tim explained.

Ducky looked over at Trey who had fallen asleep with his hand on his milk and his head in his plate of cookies and smiled at the sight.

"Stay here for the night, I have a guest room, I will call Jethro in the morning,"

Tim backed up panicking, "You can't tell him!"

"Calm down, I will explain that you are unwell and need a few days to recuperate, meanwhile if you will allow it, I will endeavor to help you."

Tim smiled, "Thank you, but we will be fine."

"Yes you will, but first a good nights sleep."

Ducky led Tim to his guest room and Tim gently laid his son on the bed and took off his shoes. He tucked him into bed and kissed him on the forehead. Jethro lay on the floor beside Trey guarding him and fell asleep.

Ducky treated the junior agent for his wounds and they talked late into the night.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Thank you for your reviews I really appreciate the feedback. I know a few people have expressed concern that Tim is a federal agent and as such wouldn't be susceptible to domestic violence, It would be nice if that were true but Domestic Violence is a crime which, more often than not for men goes unreported, for the simple reason that a woman hitting a man is usually the brunt of jokes. Men can be victims of Domestic Violence too. This does not make them weak, because they love the perpetrator or because they don't fight back.
> 
> Remember this is a story, but men being the victims of domestic violence happens all the time. Not all of them survive due to the stigma of reporting it.
> 
> I am NOT sorry if the subject matter offends people, domestic violence, whether the victim is a man or a woman is a crime and should be reported.
> 
> However this story only touches on the matter rather than going into graphic detail.
> 
> I would like to thank my anonymous source on male domestic violence victims, who is himself in law enforcement for his insight and honesty.
> 
> Disclaimer, I do not own NCIS.

Ducky turned to Jethro, "I met Tim in the park one Sunday and Trey was with him," He told him shaking himself out of his reverie. "I've known Trey for 3 years."

"And you didn't think it important to tell me?" Gibbs asked.

"Jethro!" Ducky admonished, "I would no longer betray his confidence than I would yours."

"A confidence is one thing; My Agent being responsible for a child is another, what if he had been shot?" Gibbs complained.

"Then I would have dealt with it," Ducky said, "Timothy has some issues as you now know, but if and hopefully when he chooses to disclose them, I hope you will not hold the fact he has kept his secret against him. Remember for years no one knew about Shannon and Kelly and no one held the fact you had kept them secret against you."

Gibbs sighed, as usual Ducky was right, However, Tim's actions as he arrived at his apartment and the fact that he had felt it necessary to hide his six year old son in a closet when he knocked on the door worried him.

Gibbs reluctantly agreed with Ducky to let Tim come to him, sat back, and drank his coffee.

"Can I ask though," Gibbs started hoping this would get an answer, "Tim's family….Are they helping him with the boy?"

Ducky shook his head, "Admiral McGee is very 'old school' Timothy not only didn't marry Treyvon's mother when she was expecting, but with her, shall we say not sharing the same ethnicity, he disowned Timothy and they haven't talked for nearly seven years. Sarah visits him as does his grandmother Penny, but the Admiral is a very strict man and will not allow them or his wife to help Timothy,"

Gibbs looking back on it now understood the tiredness he had seen on his agent over the last few years and the weight loss, which was obviously a symptom of stress.

"I wish he would have confided in me Duck, DiNozzo and David, hell even Abby come here when they need help. Why won't he?" he asked.

"That is for Timothy to tell you." Ducky said enigmatically.

Gibbs opened his mouth to say more when his phone rang, "Gibbs?" he said and waited, "Which hospital? I'm on my way." He said and hung up.

"Ducky can you stay with the boy, Tim's been taken to hospital, I need to go there and Tony and Ziva will be heading to Tim's, it's a crime scene, he's been shot." Gibbs told the older man as he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

* * *

Tony and Ziva where shocked as they arrived at Tim's apartment to see Mrs. Winters being interviewed by the local LEO's. A detective walked towards them, "Agents DiNozzo and David?" he asked.

Tony nodded, "What happened?" he asked.

"Looks like a domestic incident gone wrong," he said

"They ever go right?" Tony snapped, "Sorry he's our partner," He explained.

"That explains why NCIS are interested in this, we talked to the neighbor the boy is still missing so we have an Amber alert out for him."

"Boy?" Ziva asked.

"Your Agents son." The detective looked confused, "According to the child minder a Mrs. Winters Agent McGee has a six year old son, Treyvon."

"Of course, Treyvon," Tony covered, "So do we have a suspect?"

"We have a BOLO out for a Layla Somers, here." He said handing them a sheet of paper with all her details on, "Mrs. Winters said she saw her leave after she had heard a gunshot."

They walked into Tim's apartment and took photos and sketches; there were signs of rapid packing and toys belonging to a small boy in a second smaller bedroom.

By Tim's bed was a photo of him and Trey, "He's beautiful," Ziva remarked looking at the picture.

Tony nodded agreeing. "Why do you think he didn't tell us?" he asked slightly hurt that his Probie had not said anything.

"I don't know, has anyone told Abby?" Ziva pondered.

"I'm not telling her," Tony said quickly,

They finished the photos and then headed for the hospital.

* * *

The first thing Tim heard was a woman's voice, "It's ok Tim, you can wake up," She said.

Fearing it was Layla, Tim tried to move away from the voice. Then he heard another one. "You're scaring him, Stop!" Gibbs' voice cut through the haze.

"Boss?" Tim said, it came out like a rasp, then he sat bolt upright in the bed, "TREY! Boss where is he?"

"Calm down Tim, He's with Ducky." Gibbs said putting a hand on his junior agents shoulder forcing him to lie back on the bed.

"Now what happened?" Gibbs asked.

"I was packing my gun and it accidently went off." Tim said avoiding his eyes.

He did not believe that for a moment, "Tim," He growled.

"It doesn't matter," Tim snapped. "It was an accident." He insisted.

"Hey Boss, Probie!" Tony said sticking his head round the door.

"DiNozzo, what you got?" Gibbs asked.

Tony looked uncomfortable, "Maybe we should discuss this in the hallway?" he offered.

"Why, it was just an accident, McGee has  **no**  secrets, right McGee." Gibbs said sarcastically.

"Right," Tim said stubbornly and faced the wall.

* * *

"The witness a Mrs. Winters reported seeing a Layla Somers leaving the scene after the gunshot, and the local LEO's have an amber alert out for a kid name Treyvon."

At this, Tim shot up and looked panicked at Gibbs, "She's got Trey! Boss! Where is he?" he started hyperventilating and the nurse came in with a sedative, which Tim brushed aside. "No I have to go, she'll kill him!" He said trying to get out of the bed.

"Tim, He's safe, he's with Ducky and he's on his way here." Gibbs said trying to calm his agent down.

"No, She'll find him and…." Tim stopped as the door to his room opened and Trey rushed in, "Daddy!" he said and hugged him.

Tim checked Trey over with his eyes, "You ok?" he asked.

Trey nodded, "Did momma hurt you again?" He asked innocently.

Gibbs caught the question "No Trey, It was an  **accident**." Tim said. Stressing the word accident, Trey instantly understood, "Oh! Sorry daddy," he said as Tim hugged him.

Gibbs squatted down and looked Trey in the eye, "Trey does daddy have a lot of these accidents when your mother is around?"

"BOSS!" Tim grabbed Trey and stood shakily on his bad leg. "You don't have the right to question my son," He moved himself between Gibbs and Trey.

"McGee, we need to know what happened to you."

"I told you it was an accident, I was cleaning my gun and it went off." He insisted.

"You said you were packing it earlier, which is it McGee?" Gibbs asked.

"Boss, I…." Tim looked around realizing that Ziva and Tony were watching this too, he had to admit if he had been alone, and maybe just maybe he would have come clean. Now…?

He grabbed his stuff and his son's hand and pushed his way past Tony and Ducky who were standing at the door.

"Timothy please," Ducky said and Tim stopped, he was shaking and he knew it, but it was not just from the pain. "Tim, let them help."

Ducky guided him back into the room and onto the bed where Tim sat looking at the floor. Every other minute his eyes flicked to his badge.

"Please Tim?" Ducky urged him again.

Tim sighed, "It was a nice job while it lasted." He said to himself. Then he looked Ducky in the eye. "Can you take Trey for something to eat? I need to talk to Gibbs."

"I'm sorry daddy," Trey said looking down.

Tim lifted his son onto the bed beside him and kissed his forehead, "Treyvon McGee  **never** apologize for telling the truth, I'm proud of you son, now go with Uncle Ducky and get something to eat." He told him.

Trey smiled and jumped off the bed. "Come on Uncle Ducky," He grinned and Ducky smiled and followed him out of the door.

 


	4. Chapter 4

As soon as Trey and Duck left, Tim sat back on the bed and let out a huge sigh.

"Boss please, Just you. I'll do it I'll talk but just to you please." Tim said.

Tony's eyes got wider as he suddenly realized what was going on. He crouched down so he was eye to eye with Tim, "Tim, I think I know what you've been through. I just want you to know I have your back and I do not think any less of you now than I did earlier. Tell Gibbs everything, you don't have anything to be ashamed of we care about you Tim and want what's best for both you and your son." He said and stood up, Tony turned and ushered Ziva out of the door.

"Thanks." Tim said in a quiet voice just as Tony was about to leave.

Tony shot him a huge grin and left.

Gibbs sat in the chair opposite from the bed and waited.

Tim took a deep breath and sat back.

* * *

"It all started when I was in Norfolk, just before I joined your team," Tim said.

"We had just had that case where I first met you guys and I met Abby and we dated for a while. Just before I joined your team, Abby and I broke up. On the rebound, I met Layla Somers. I thought she loved me…." Tim stopped trying to collect himself. "She was acting for her boyfriend Derek Johnson. He wanted me to fall for her and then break into the NCIS database for them and pass on confidential details for his bosses."

"Did you?" Gibbs asked.

"NO! Boss I'd never….." Tim spluttered upset that Gibbs even had to ask. "Anyway, I did fall for Layla and even though we both used precautions she fell pregnant. She didn't want the baby but I talked her into it and as they still thought I would change my mind she agreed and had Treyvon." He smiled briefly remembering the birth of his son.

"After she had him she changed as they both realized that I liked working for you and I wasn't going to betray my oath…..she started…." He stopped finding it hard to say.

"When did she first hit you?" Gibbs asked gently.

Tim looked at the floor unable to meet his boss's eyes.

"The day she brought Trey home," he replied quietly.

"Go on..." Gibbs urged

"I picked her up from the hospital and Derek was at her house, they tried to get me to break the encryption on the NCIS firewalls. I wouldn't do it and he watched while she punched me….I couldn't hit her boss, she was the mother of my child and a woman and I….God, boss I loved her." Tim cried silently, his shoulders shaking berating himself for looking weak in front of his boss.

"We split up after the first time, but I had to keep in contact because of Trey, I couldn't abandon him, he's my son." Tim said. "I didn't tell you because I was scared that you would see me as weak and that you would kick me off your team."

"I wouldn't have done that. I picked you remember." Gibbs said.

"Yeah," Tim said halfheartedly.

"And…." Gibbs prompted again.

Tim sighed. "I kept in touch with her, she kept on hitting me. Not all the time boss just if she had had a hard day, Derek left her after Trey was born and it is hard to be a single mother. I paid her child support and saw Trey everyday when she would let me. But she started to get worse as the years went on, she hooked up with Johnson again when Trey was three. I went to see her, she had had a hard day, she went mad hitting me when I tried to see Trey I found that he had been crying all day, and she had locked him in the basement in the dark. He was curled up sobbing, she had hit him and well, I could not leave him there so I took him and got custody. The judge signed him over, Layla broke his arm and a rib…Boss he was three years old. I can understand me I deserved it, I made mistakes that upset her but he was a baby."

Gibbs felt sorry for Tim but did not want to push him anymore than he had to.

"We were fine for a while, but every time we settle somewhere she and Johnson seem to find us. She has taken him from kindergarten twice and broken into three apartments. Usually we move before she causes too much trouble. However, this time I had Mrs. Winters watch Trey and she did not warn us, too much daytime T.V. she figured the mother was right. She put him in danger, Layla wanted to take Trey again today…but he wasn't there so….so….she shot me." Tim finished.

Gibbs knew there was more to this story, but Tim had finally admitted to being shot by Layla and that was all he needed. He got up without a word and stalked out of the room.

* * *

Tim looked after Gibbs exit; he had seen the fury in Gibbs' eyes and knew that Gibbs was mad with him for being so weak and that his days as a Federal Agent were over.

Alone, sat in the hospital room he sobbed his life, as he knew it was over.

Gibbs turned the corner to where Tony and Ziva were waiting.

"We've got her! Any info on that Bolo on Layla Somers yet?" He asked.

Tony shook his head.

"No, how's Tim, you did tell him that his job is safe and that you don't blame him didn't you?" Tony asked.

"Later, I wanna get this woman first." Gibbs growled.

"No! Boss." Tony stopped dead and turned back in the direction of Tim's room. "He's in there right now probably thinking that he has lost your trust and that you think he's weak. I've seen cases like this before in Baltimore, with male victims after they've testified there is a higher risk of suicide due to the emotional rollercoaster he's on right now."

Ziva watched aghast as Tony turned Gibbs around and frog marched him back to Tim's room.

* * *

As they walked into the room Tim was all but dressed and was sloppily putting his shoes on, wincing has he bent over and put pressure on his leg.

"Hey Tim, where you off to?" Tony asked brightly.

"Does it matter?" Tim snapped and grabbed up his bag.

"McGee, the doctor said you were to rest." Gibbs said.

"What do you care, here? You'll need this." Tim said tossing his badge at Gibbs and pushing past him on his quest to find his son.

"Tim!" Gibbs said, "I told you once before if you were to give me this you had better be ready to lose it."

"Better I give it you now and save you the trouble of firing me, now get outta my way." Tim was furious. He had bared his soul to Gibbs given him everything he had asked for and then he had just walked away. "You have what was left of my dignity now just let me get my son and go!" He snapped.

"McGee! You can walk away now and believe that I think you're weak and ruin the rest of your life or you can collect your son and meet us back at the bullpen and help us catch her so she won't harm you or your son again like the capable federal agent I  **know**  you are." Gibbs said.

Tim turned and looked at Gibbs, "You still want me on your team?"

"Times a wasting Elf lord, Hurry up." Gibbs said with a small grin at the hope that flashed over Tim's face.

"On it Boss," He smiled and headed in the direction of Trey and Ducky.

"Nicely handled boss," Tony said quietly as Tim walked off with Ziva who was going to drive them to the Navy yard.

Tony yelped as Gibbs raised his hand, but instead of the expected headslap, he got a pat on the back, "Thanks DiNozzo." Gibbs smiled and walked towards the car. A beaming Tony following behind.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Tony sat in the bullpen searching leads for Gibbs and support groups on the side for Tim. He knew Tim would be in soon and he wanted more than anything, for Tim to know he was not alone in this.

Gibbs went to get Abby as he knew from the frantic phone call Tony' had received on the way back that she knew that Tim had been shot and he headed down to her lab to reassure her and see if she had managed to get anything on the evidence that had been sent to her earlier.

"GIBBS!" Abby yelled over her music, which she went to turn down.

He could see she had been crying. "Hey Abbs, whatcha got me?" He asked.

"I can't believe someone shot Timmy?!" She rambled, she still cared more than she ever wanted to admit, but Tim was a member of the team and the fact that someone could hurt any member of her 'family' was shocking to her.

"Abbs? Evidence." Gibbs said and waited.

"They used Tim's gun. A P229 Sig Sauer. I got a print off it but no matches from AVIS. I'm searching the police database now."

"It'll belong to a Layla Somers, I have a cell number for her, and can you track it?" Gibbs asked.

"Sure, does Tim know her? Did he tell you how she got his gun?" Abby asked.

"Not now Abbs." Gibbs snapped.

"Her cell phone is turned off right now but when it is reactivated I'll let you know." She said.

"Thanks Abbs." Gibbs said and gestured to the Caf-Pow he had left on her desk, she flashed him a brilliant smile as he left.

* * *

Tim, Trey and Ducky arrived about an hour later.

Ducky walked them up to Tim's desk. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked Tim.

"I need to do this Ducky, Trey do you wanna go with Ducky?" Tim asked his son, who still traumatized by the fact his father had been shot clung tightly to Tim's good leg.

Tim nodded understanding. "Ok sport, you sit down here, no one will be able to see you. You want your laptop?" he asked.

Trey's face brightened and he nodded, "Please daddy."

Tim handed it over, "Just approved sites only. Ok?"

Trey nodded and started playing.

Tony walked over to Tim. "I don't know if your ready for these yet but I have a list of support groups you may want to check out. If you want to go I can have Trey anytime you need or I can go with you if you want." He said

"Why would you want to help me like this?" Tim said, he had been convinced that Tony would be the first one to mock him.

"I worked violent crimes in Peoria, I knew some male victims of domestic violence, one of whom was my old partner, Jake. He didn't have any support and he didn't make it." He said quietly.

Tim was suddenly struck by how much Tony really was helping and understanding, "And I'm your partner so I've got your six." He said

"Thanks." Tim took the papers and put them on his desk. "So what have we got so far?" he asked.

He looked over the paperwork Tony handed him, "She has a brother in Culver City. They haven't spoken since I took Trey, but maybe it's worth a chance." He suggested he wrote Andrew Somers' name and address down and gave it to Tony.

He turned back to his desk and looked back at Tony. "Did you see Trey leave?" He asked worried, as there was an empty space where Trey was supposed to be sitting.

"No?" Tony said, "Maybe he went to the head, we'd better find him."

* * *

Tim limped carefully towards the back elevator as Tony went towards the break room in search of Trey.

He decided to start at the bottom and work his way up through the building.

As he exited the elevator he heard Abby yell. "Don't touch that!" followed by a crash.

Abby hit the HAZMAT button as a cloud of smoke blew up towards the air extractors in the ceiling.

She had turned her back for a moment and had turned back around to see a small child trying to reach one of her action figures on her desk, in the process, he had knocked over a jar of trichloroethylene she grabbed him and pulled him away fearing he would get hurt.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" She yelled still shook up over the incident.

Trey scrambled into the corner and raised his arms above his head in a defensive pose.

Abby looked shocked, yes she had yelled but no one had ever been frightened of her before.

"What's going on?" Tim said, "Are you ok?"

"Someone let their kid run loose he nearly got hurt, stupid kid knocked over this bottle, he could have been hurt." Abby said rambling and pointed towards the small boy in the corner.

"He is not stupid, he didn't mean to," Tim snapped as he turned around and held out his arms. Trey ran and jumped up and held on tight.

"Who is he, when I find his parents…?" Abby was mad now, "I mean he can't be more than five and they're letting him run around a federal facility alone,"

"SHUT UP ABBY!" Tim said forcefully.

Gibbs walked in, "Are you ok?" He asked Abby worried as he had heard her alarm.

"Just a small lab accident. Gibbs this stupid kid…." She started.

"My SON is not stupid, he made a mistake. And maybe so did I thinking I would introduce him to you." Tim said the hurt evident in his voice.

Tim limped out of the lab as Abby stood there her mouth agape.

* * *

"His son? Timmy does not have a son. Why is he saying that Gibbs?" Abby said.

"Abby, that was Tim's son, Trey. They have been through a lot and I think if you want to keep your friendship with Tim, you had better sort this out. Be easy on him though he's been through a lot." Gibbs counseled her.

"Oh my God, Layla Somers…that's his mother isn't it?" Abby said putting some of the pieces together.

Gibbs nodded. He and Abby left the lab and went in search of Tim.

They found him round by the Stairwell where he was crouched down, ignoring the excruciating pain in his leg and was wiping the tears from his son's eyes.

"I didn't mean to daddy, I was bored, I saw the toy and just wanted to see, I didn't realize the lady was like momma." He sniffed.

"Abby isn't like momma Trey, she was just scared you would get hurt, there are a lot of dangerous chemicals in her lab, she's nice really."

"But she was like momma; she said I was stupid, was she going to hurt us too?" Trey asked and started crying he buried his head in Tim's jacket.

* * *

Abby walked over and looked at Tim, "Please?" she asked softly.

Warily Tim nodded and Abby crouched down too. "Trey? I'm sorry I didn't mean to yell," she said softly.

Trey looked up, "I wasn't going to knock over the chemicals, and I saw the symbol so I know that one is caustic. I just wanted to see the toy." He said quickly, and then he realized what he had said. "I….I mean, I just wanted to…..I'm sorry." He started crying again.

Tim took a deep breath and hugged his son, "Its ok Trey, no one here will ever hurt you or pick on you because your smart."

Abby smiled "You are smart aren't you."

"Yes ma'am" Trey replied wiping his eyes and giving a small smile.

Gibbs helped Tim get back to his feet properly and the four of them walked back into the bullpen.

"Hey there munchkin, you giving your dad a workout?" Tony asked smiling and giving Trey a Nutter-butter.

"I got bored and was looking for Uncle Ducky, I won't do it again." Trey said,

"Hey, next time take me with you, I'm great at getting in trouble." Tony smiled and Trey giggled.

"You got that right DiNozzo?" Gibbs said. "You ok now Trey?" He asked.

"Yes Boss." Trey said and Tony and Tim grinned.

* * *

Suddenly an alarm blared from Trey's laptop.

"What's that?" Gibbs asked.

"Momma's just used her credit card," Trey said.

"Trey! You didn't?" Tim said. "You promised no hacking?"

"But daddy, I just wanted to help and the NCIS database was easy to get into."

"Ooh, Mini McHacker beat you to it Probie," Tony said not able to keep the awe out of his voice.

Gibbs smirked and grabbed Tony's badge off his desk. He handed it to Trey and said, "What-cha got kid?"

"I have a programme that told me where momma was and I used your databases to piggyback my programme. Momma just used her card in a small shop near East Laurel Street, Alexandria."

"That's near your house boss, where we're staying." Tim said a small chill running through him.

"You two stay here." Gibbs said pointing to Tim and Trey, "Keep me up to date on her whereabouts."

"On it Boss," Both Trey and Tim, said together.

Fighting to keep the grin from his face Gibbs turned to the others, "Gear up." He said.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Layla sat outside the house in Alexandria waiting, the house was quiet now but she knew that soon enough Tim would be there.

She had gone to the hospital to see Tim and Trey, but had been told he had left so she had cried to the nurse that Tim had her son and they had been robbed and she could not get hold of him and he was gone and she needed to find them. The nurse took pity and fell for Layla's act and gave her the address where they were staying.

Gibbs pulled up a little way up the road and saw her sitting there.

Before they got out of the car, he turned to Tony and Ziva. "We need to make sure she is brought in unharmed, no matter how much we want to hurt her for what she's done, It won't do Tim any good if she gets out on a technicality, this needs to be air tight."

The others nodded and carefully they surrounded the car.

Gibbs lent down and opened the door. "Layla Somers?"

She looked up at him, as evil as he knew her to be even he had to admit she was stunning. Her huge brown eyes batted at him, "Yes?" she said innocently.

"You're under arrest for the shooting of a federal agent." He told her and motioned for her to get out of the car.

She climbed out and stood quietly as Gibbs handcuffed her.

"She beat up McGee?" Ziva said not quite believing it.

Tony shot her a look, "Just don't." He snapped.

"What she is tiny he is bigger than her and an agent?"

Tony turned from her in disgust, he knew she would have some trouble coming to terms with what had happened to Tim given her Mossad upbringing but right now, he could not even look at her.

"You and Ziva can take her back, I'm getting a cab." Tony said.

Gibbs shook his head and threw him a set of keys, "Take my car," He motioned to his Dodge Challenger, "But not a scratch DiNozzo."

"Thanks Boss!" Tony grinned and all but ran over to the car.

After ensconcing Layla in the car Ziva turned to Gibbs, "You are letting Tony drive your car back to the yard?"

Gibbs looked at her, "It's either that or he shoots you." He replied.

"Me? Why I have not done anything wrong?" Ziva said incredulously

Gibbs glared at her and she got in the car for a very silent ride back.

* * *

Tim looked at Trey as he actually played on his laptop, at least he hoped this time that was what his son was doing. He checked what Trey was doing and looked up as Abby motioned to him from the edge of the bullpen.

"Tim, Is he ok now?" She asked her distress at her earlier actions evident on her face.

Tim gave her a slight smile. "He bounces back quickly. He is ok Abbs. Did you want something?"

"Gibbs called me to let you know we've got her."

Concern and worry flashed over Tim's face, "Thanks Abs. Can you take Trey out for me, it's about time for your lunch break, and get a burger, my treat and you can have a Caf-Pow too."

Abby smiled, "Sure, Hey Trey, wanna go get a burger?" she asked.

Trey looked at his dad for permission "Sure, can I?" even though he was still wary of Abby, he was hungry.

"Sure, maybe you guys could take Ducky, he needs a break too," Tim suggested knowing Trey would be more comfortable with someone he knew as well.

Abby getting the hint nodded, "Come on let's go get him." She said holding out her hand. Waiting a second longer than normal, Trey eyed her up, looked to his dad for confirmation and then gave her his hand. They walked a few steps away when Trey let go of her hand and ran back to his dad.

"I love you daddy, you will be here when I get back won't you?" Trey asked.

"I promise I won't leave the building." Tim said and kissed his son on the head. "Now go have fun." He smiled as Trey let out his first genuine smile in days and ran over to Abby and they headed toward the elevator.

* * *

Tim headed back to his desk and sank slowly into his chair his leg beginning to ache again. He reached for the painkillers and swallowed two with a gulp of his coffee.

He looked up as the elevator dinged and Tony walked onto the floor.

"Hey Tim, where's McChip?" Tony asked

"McChip?" Tim asked confused.

"Yeah, Mini McChip off the old block." Tony grinned.

Tim laughed for the first time in a while. "Really that's all you could come up with?"

"That there, McGeek is gold material, saved only for the best," Tony replied glad he could make his friend laugh.

Still chuckling Tim answered "He's gone out to lunch with Abby and Ducky, Abby told me your bringing Layla in." he said his mood sobering.

"Yeah, Gibbs wants a more detailed report on what you know about Layla and that Derek guy," Tony said.

McGee nodded, "I thought as much, I have everything I know on both of them," He said handing Tony a folder, "How come Ziva isn't with you."

"Slight difference of opinion, but I got to drive Gibbs' dodge."

"Really?" Tim said awestruck.

"Yeah, sweet ride." Tony replied.

"I'm gonna get a coffee." Tim said and limped off in the direction of the break room.

* * *

Tony looked through the file and placed it on Gibbs' desk as Ziva walked in the bullpen.

"Tony why are you mad with me?" She asked.

"You have no idea?" Tony said, "You saw what Tim went through and to turn around and say what you said about Layla, casting doubt on your own partner's claims!" He looked at her.

"I did not mean to say that Tim had not been hurt by her, it is obvious he was..."

"Tim is our friend and co-worker and needs our support, what he doesn't need is anyone thinking less of him because he won't hit the mother of his child, because he feels, unlike you that violence does not need violence in return."

"I am sorry Tony," Ziva said realizing that she was wrong.

"Don't apologize just don't let Tim know how you feel until you can get over it." Tony told her.

"I will not." Ziva promised not wanting to upset Tim or his sweet son at all. "Tony, where is Tim?"

"He went for coffee…a while ago…he should have been back…..OH HECK!" Tony exclaimed and ran off in the direction of interrogation.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Tim smashed open the door to interrogation and grabbed Layla by the neck and proceeded to beat the crap out of her, blow by blow every one an act of revenge for the pain and suffering she had caused him and his son over the last six years.

'Yeah right!' Tim thought to himself as he stood the other side of the glass thinking how much he would love to be strong enough to confront her.

He stood straight his hands balled into fists by his sides. Looking at the one woman, he had dared to give his heart and soul to and she had completely destroyed him. He knew that as soon as Gibbs came down here someone would find him and usher him out, he wanted this one moment to look her in the eye to see if any part of her was sorry for what she had done…if there was still any hope…

He heard the door open slowly behind him.

"Tim?" Tony said quietly. He sat behind his friend waiting for his presence to be acknowledged.

"I just needed to see her; I want to watch the interview." Tim said.

Tony thought it a bad idea but he knew it was not what he needed that mattered.

"OK, but I'm staying with you if you need to leave let me know and we will go." He said.

"The hell he is." Gibbs said from behind both of them, "Back up to the bullpen." He ordered.

"NO." Both Tony and Tim said together.

"He needs this boss, and I'm staying with him." Tony said cringing awaiting the headslap that was sure to follow.

Gibbs smirked, "Good for you DiNozzo. Keep an eye on him"

He walked out and into the interrogation room.

* * *

He placed the folder on the table and sat down, not saying a word.

Layla looked at him; she knew who he was and what he was to Tim. She wasn't about to tip her hand though.

"My name is Special Agent Gibbs, but you already knew that." He said matter of factly.

Layla looked at him, "So NCIS investigates a family squabble."

"Squabbles? No…The attempted murder of a Federal Agent, Yes." Still he stared at her his face giving nothing away.

"Agent Gibbs I didn't mean to hurt him, it was self defense he attacked me first, I mean look at me do you really think I could hurt a federal agent?" She asked standing up to make her point.

"Yes. Now sit Miss Somers." Gibbs said.

"I won't press charges." She said. "You can't make me. I love him and he loves me."

"Whether he loves you or not is irrelevant, you shot him." Gibbs said flatly.

"I know the law, you can't interfere in a domestic between a husband and wife…,"Layla said and behind the glass, Tim stiffened.

"For one  **Ms**  Somers you are wrong. We can interfere if there is harm to another person, as can the police if a domestic abuse case is referred to them. The husband and wife defense is invalid. Also  **you**  are **not**  married to my agent." Gibbs growled.

Layla reached into her purse and pulled out a small folder.

"NO!" Tim yelled pounding the glass. Tony pulled him back and saw the smug smile flit across her face as she handed the folder to Gibbs.

Gibbs looked at it and walked out of the room.

* * *

He opened the door to observation. "With me now." He said and Tim hobbled out of the door, he followed Gibbs down the hall to the vending machines.

"You didn't think this was important?" He said accusingly.

"It was supposed to be annulled. She told me it had been…I only did it because…"Tim looked at the floor.

Gibbs put his hand on Tim's shoulder, guided him into a conference room, and sat him in a chair.

"Talk to me Tim." He said

"After the case with Penny, she got me to try to call The Admiral…my father…he said he wouldn't even talk to me it was bad enough that I'd had a child with her, but that he was a bastard, I got drunk boss and ended up at her house…we went to Vegas and got married. I didn't even realize until I went for full custody of Trey," Tim laughed sourly "How's that for an investigator I get married and I don't even know about it. I called my father and told him thinking I'd at least be allowed to talk to my mother again…he…he said I should never have married a Nig…God Boss he was horrible. I mean she's not perfect but no one deserves to be called that!"

Tim sighed and ran his hands through his hair, "His problems were never about me having a child out of wedlock, and it was all his racial bigotry. I won't have that near my son. But she swore that she'd had the wedding annulled."

"Planning on staying married McGee?" Gibbs asked.

"God NO!" Tim replied earnestly

Gibbs smiled and reached into his pocket and took out his wallet, "Here." He said handing Tim a card, "Mention my name you'll get a discount."

"Who is that?" Tim asked looking at the card.

"My divorce lawyer. The exception to rule 13." Gibbs grinned. "And don't lose the card; I may need it again someday."

"Right, with your permission I'm off to kick your wife's ass." He grinned, "You might wanna watch this,"

Gibbs walked back into the interrogation room.

* * *

"Right, Mrs. McGee I am formally charging you with domestic abuse, abuse of a minor and the attempted murder of Timothy McGee federal agent. You may want a lawyer."

"Lawyer!" she spat, "It was all his fault, his and that bastard son of his, and they are both too smart for their own good. All he needed to do was give me that information, then I found out that little shit could hack and he turned out to be as moral as his father,"

Tim tried to leave the room his anger boiling over at the woman he had loved.

Tony grabbed him, "Tim no!"

"He's lucky I only shot him in the leg." Layla spat.

"Ya know I never mentioned where he'd been shot." Gibbs smirked.

"Got ya!" Tony yelled from behind the glass.

Gibbs stood up, "I'd better get you that lawyer, and He'll love the double pay."

"Double pay?"

"Yeah, Tim's filing for divorce."

Layla screamed and tipped the table towards Gibbs, "No He's mine he can't leave me, he goes when I say so."

"Not this time Layla." Tim said quietly from the door.

Layla launched at him and within seconds, Gibbs had her handcuffed.

"I will kill you Tim; I will take Trey and make you watch while I break him."

"Mrs. McGee, somehow I don't think you're going to be unaccompanied for a very long time," Gibbs said and motioned for an agent to take her down to holding.

 


	8. Chapter 8

Agent Dixon took Layla down to holding seeing he spot Trey on the way he tried to shield the boy from her and was surprised by the look of sorrow in her eyes.

"You get one phone call. You should call your lawyer." He said handing her the receiver. She moved as far away from the Agent as possible and dialed a number.

"It's done," she said simply tears falling silently from her eyes, "Now will you leave them alone?"

She waited for the person on the other end to answer, "I'll go to jail for you but you leave them alone and let them live out their lives in safety." She stopped and waited, "But there is no way to get that information…..please…Derek?" She heard the dial tone and hung up.

"I'm done." She said simply and allowed the agent to take her to the holding cell.

Agent Dixon looked at the woman in the cell, he like most of the other agents on the floor knew what she was being held for but something did not sit right with him and he did not like the feeling he was getting.

He walked away and headed up to the bullpen.

* * *

"Agent Gibbs, I think I need to talk to you," He said

Gibbs looked at him, "Sam, what's wrong?" He asked.

"Your office?" Sam said gesturing towards the elevator with his head.

Gibbs nodded and the two walked into the elevator. Gibbs pulled the switch and stalled the car. "Go ahead." He said.

"I think there is more going on with Ms Somers, sorry Mrs. McGee," He said

"Go on…" Gibbs waited.

"When I took her down to holding she saw McGee's son and had the same look of grief on her face my mother had when my little brother died and the phone call. Well, most perps phone their lawyers, she didn't it was strange, I think we are going to need a copy of that call, something strange is going on, Like you always say, trust your gut…well mines going crazy, I think she may be a victim here."

Gibbs' first instinct was to dismiss the idea out of hand. However, as he looked into the face of an agent he had known for ten years that he realized that Sam could be right.

"Ok, I'll run it past Abby and get her to get me a transcript of the call." Sam said realizing that Gibbs was now on the same page.

Gibbs opened the elevator and walked towards his team all of whom were looking at him expectantly.

* * *

"McGee with me," He said Tim followed him to the space at the bottom of the stairs.

"Sam came to me he thinks there may be more going on here than we think. Something about how Layla acted after she had been charged. Is there any chance anyone else is involved?"

Tim looked at his boss and swallowed "Well, I always thought, but I could be wrong, maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow and looked at Tim who composed himself and carried on.

"Derek Johnson, he's always been around when Layla's turned on me. But, she swore he wasn't involved…she always said it was my fault.

Tim stood as Gibbs told him the information that Sam Dixon had passed to him earlier and he got madder and madder with himself.

"Boss, If that's true….God what have I done. I should have been there for her…I ran. I took her son away!" Tim sat on the bottom step and put his head in his hands. "I'm worse than I thought she was."

"We don't know anything yet. I'm going to get Ziva to take Trey from Abby and they can go to the park for a while, I need you to listen to the phone call Layla made so we can see if we can identify who's on the other end."

"OK Boss." Tim followed Gibbs to the bullpen, "Ziva go to Abby take Trey to the park and keep him in sight at all times. Tony with me." Gibbs ordered and they all moved off to follow orders.

Tony and Tim walked into Abby's lab, "Hi guys I have the phone call queued up, and I thought we had her bang to rights."

"Gibbs thinks there's something else going on." Tim said as Gibbs walked in the room

Layla's voice was heard first.

"It's done, Now will you leave them alone?" she said

"I don't think so, sweetheart you know the deal, you keep to it or the boy dies and that geeky husband of yours too!" The deep voice growled.

"I'll go to jail for you but you leave them alone and let them live out their lives in safety." Layla said.

"I told you when this all started, I will kill your precious Tim if you don't co-operate, you're still in the building get me the files I want, I can see him right now you know that I always have a sniper on you Tim and the boy at all times." Derek growled.

Tim's blood ran cold and his instinct was to get to the park.

"But there is no way to get that information…..please…Derek?"

The dial tone was heard.

"Boss?" Tim said, "We need to get Trey back here and I need to talk to Layla….please Boss."

Gibbs nodded and was surprise that Tim all but ran, although he would have called it limping with speed towards holding.

* * *

Tim walked up to the cell and motioned for the guard to open up. He knew Abby and Gibbs wouldn't be far behind wanting to protect him but he didn't care.

He sat next to her on the cot and lifted her head; he eyes were watery from where she had been crying for over an hour.

"You need to tell me the truth, please Layla," Tim begged.

She looked at him and realized that he knew and for that moment, he saw in her the woman he had fallen in love with all those years ago.

"I…I can't I've done too much. I can't fix this Tim. He will know and he'll kill Trey."

"You broke his arm when he was three." Tim said, "Derek didn't do that."

Layla sobbed, "I had no choice if I hadn't Derek was going to kill him he was after something from the navy, a file…Operation Lightening. It's the file he was really after and he wanted me to get, he's been watching me all the time and following my movements." She lifted her skirt to show Tim the scar on her hipbone, "It's a tracking marker, He knows where I am now, he knew if I went to you he's had people watching you and Treyvon constantly, I've lived with this for six years he implanted it while I was in the hospital when Trey was born. I had not choice." She pleaded.

"You could have told me, we could have dealt with this."

"I couldn't take the chance not with you and not with Trey."

Tim looked at her, "I can't forgive you…not right now, but we will get Derek, you will have to pay for your crimes, but I will help where I can."

"Just keep our son safe, I don't care what happens to me I never have." Layla said. "Get Derek and save Trey…Tim…I love you."

Tim looked at the floor turned and walked out.

* * *

He reached the bullpen as Ziva and Trey arrived back.

"Daddy, we went to the park it was real fun." Trey said hugging his dad.

Tim smiled and lifted his son onto his desk.

"I'm glad you've had fun, we have to stay here for a while. Daddy has a bad guy to help catch, I need you to stay with Abby ok?"

Trey nodded, "Abby has a new game I can try, I do like her daddy."

Tim smiled amazed at how resilient his son was. For a second he thought about telling him about his mother, but he didn't want to get his hopes up. He had seen the truth in her words but better for him to get his own heart broken again than for his son to get his hopes up and lose his mother again.

Ziva took Trey down to Abby's lab.

"OK so what do we have on Derek Johnson?"

Tim started typing and brought some information on the computer. He took a deep breath and started to brief the team.

 


	9. Chapter 9

"Derek Johnson, 34…Layla's brother's best friend." Tim started

"Andrew Somers and Derek Johnson went to George Washington University, Andrew Somers graduated and joined the Marines and is still in active service and Derek Johnson did not graduate, he dropped out. Andrew chased him away after Baltimore PD caught Derek carrying drugs." Tim continued.

Tony noticed that throughout Tim's speech he had not looked at any of the information on the plasma and that he had recited the whole thing from memory. He was not the only one.

"You got anything up there that's useful too Tim?" Gibbs asked pointing to the screen.

"Er…Yeah." Tim shook his head and focused. "Derek was running with the Franco Mateo."

"Lil Frankie?" Tony said shocked as Both Ziva and Gibbs turned to look at him.

"Er. Boss, Lil Frankie is a high level Enforcer for the Lentino Crime family in Baltimore." He told them as Tim nodded to confirm that was the right man.

"So Derek is involved with them?" Gibbs asked.

"I remember Layla saying something about Franco meeting Derek one day when I went to pick up Trey, I was the one day she let me have him overnight." Tim said.

"So pick him up." Gibbs ordered, "We need to talk to him."

All three of them grabbed their gear, "Not you!" Gibbs said to Tim who dropped his bag and sat at his desk.

* * *

After they had gone, he turned to Tim, "Do you know what Operation Lightning is?"

Tim looked at Gibbs with a guilty grin, "Yes, Boss."

"You better fill me in."

"I can't….I don't have clearance." Gibbs glared at him but Tim stood his ground.

"No Boss, but we can ask the director if he will read you in. Although it was one of Director Morrow's projects back when I started at NCIS in Norfolk."

Gibbs and Tim walked up to the director's office.

Leon looked up as they both entered.

"Sir, I need permission to read Agent Gibbs in on Operation Lightning." Tim asked.

"McGee that's a classified operation, how do you know about it?" Leon asked suspiciously.

"I created the parameters for the programme. It has become a central issue in a case we're working on." Tim said.

Leon looked impressed, "I never realized you were responsible for that. Very well you may read Agent Gibbs in only." He leant over his keyboard and typed a file number in "Your eyes only Gibbs," he said Tim leant over and transferred the information to the plasma in Vance's office.

"Operation Lightning was the Navy's early warning cyber hacking defense system, the then SECNAV had been plagued by other countries most notably Israel and Eastern European countries hacking into our database to get top secret information on troop deployments, weapons specs. Etc. He found out that I was working in Norfolk and had looked up my Jacket and found out about my computer abilities and some rather….er….dubious hacking I had done myself whilst at MIT and asked me to help. Boss if anyone got their hands on the information it would be worth a fortune to foreign intelligence communities." Tim said and waited while Gibbs caught on to how important this was.

"So how did Johnson find out about it?" Gibbs asked.

"Itoldhim." Tim mumbled.

"Sorry?" Both Vance and Gibbs said at the same time. Tim looked at his feet and shuffled a bit.

"I told Derek, the first time he and Layla…the first time they…" He could not say the words, "I didn't mean to Boss." Tim implored him, "I was just so shocked. I mean he was my friend and she was my girlfriend I loved her; I was not prepared for it. I had gone after work to see Layla and Trey and they both attacked me, She told me if I told them about what I was working on that they wouldn't hurt Trey…He was a week old Boss! Helpless and my son." Tim figured this was it, "I only told him the name of what I was working on, that was it after that they were obsessed with getting information on it. I moved in with her to protect Trey, when Derek wasn't there she was always sorry and I thought there was hope but every day she started."

Gibbs and Vance looked at each other, Yes McGee had broken protocol but technically, apart from the name he had not, at any point divulged any pertinent information.

"I found out later that this was the information that Derek had told Franco that he could get his hands on and I think this is what he was trying to make Layla get for him." Tim said.

"We need to get Layla back into interrogation." Gibbs said.

"Boss, I'm sorry but it's getting late and I need to take Trey home. I've got him enrolled in daycare as of tomorrow but no one to have him for tonight and he's been with Abby and Ducky for hours." Tim told him.

Gibbs nodded, "You're right, I can't expect Trey to keep the same hours we do. Go get him and we will go home. DiNozzo can put Johnson in lock up for tonight and we'll get started with fresh eyes tomorrow."

* * *

Tim walked into Abby's lab, which was unusually quiet.

"Shh!" Abby hissed as he walked in, "Trey's asleep it's so cute." She said showing him the pictures she had taken of the boy, glasses askew asleep face down on his laptop.

Tim smiled lovingly at his son. It was the first time in years he had felt safe enough to fall asleep anywhere but his bed, and he told Abby so, "You must have been doing a good job with him," He said.

Abby beamed, "You really think so? I mean we got off to a rocky start but he's an awesome kid."

"You really think so?" Tim said he was so used to Layla putting them both down that the compliment was unexpected.

Abby hugged Tim "You make a great dad Tim, and Trey is just like you."

Tim grinned and started to pack up Trey's stuff. He slipped the laptop out from under Trey's head, put it away, and finally lifted his son into his arms.

"'Wasn't hackin' dad. Honest." Treys sleepy voice floated up to him.

"Yep." Abby reiterated "Just like you."

"Come on." Tim said and walked to the elevator to meet Gibbs,

 


	10. Chapter 10

Tim and Gibbs both walked back into the bullpen as Tony stood up.

"We've got him he's in interrogation." Tony said.

Tim stifled the urge to follow Gibbs knowing that he would stop him, so he waited until Gibbs and Tony had left for interrogation, and Ziva had left the bullpen…then he followed.

Slipping into observation Tim looked at the face of a man he had not seen for three years and had hoped never to see again.

Derek Johnson sat resting his blond head on the palms of his hands elbows resting on the table looking incredibly bored.

Gibbs looked at the file he had. He leant back looking just as bored as Derek. Then he leant forward putting himself nose to nose with his quarry.

"So, you know Layla Somers?" He started slowly.

"I've heard of her." Derek said noncommittally. "She's the one with the half caste kid right?"

Tim's fists balled behind the glass.

"We have information that you have been using her to try and get classified information from a federal agent and we have you for assault on a federal agent."

"Timmy deserved all he got." Derek said without thinking,

"And Layla, we know you blackmailed her into hurting Tim and her son."

Derek laughed, "She was so easy. She loved him, neither of them had any family that supported them they were easy prey."

Tim closed his eyes and worked on his breathing.

"So how is the Lentino Crime family involved in this and how did you find out that Agent McGee was working on a classified project in the first place."

"His old man told Frankie, he owed him money and when I told Frankie I knew the kid it was easy."

"His old man?" Tony leant in and asked.

"Some Admiral type in the Navy, hated his kid gave me all the info I needed, plus a bonus if I could keep Layla away from the kid."

Tim slumped into a chair. All of this the abuse from Layla, towards him and his son was because ultimately of his father.

Gibbs heard a door slam he looked up and he gave Tony the folder "Finish up." He said and left the room.

* * *

He saw Tim go into the elevator, watched as the light for the garage came on, then ran, and took the stairs two at a time to meet him there.

"McGee!" he called.

Tim slowed imperceptibly but then continued.

"STOP!" Gibbs yelled.

Automatically Tim stopped. When he turned, Gibbs was shocked at the grief and anger on his junior agents' face.

"I…I gotta bring him in Boss." Tim said.

"Just bring him in Tim?" Gibbs asked placing a hand on Tim's shoulder.

"I wanna kill him for what he did to us, to me….to Trey, but he needs to pay for what he did to the Navy, he can't get away with this." Tim said visibly shaking.

"Let me and Tony bring him in." Gibbs said.

"Boss, please, I need to be there, for Trey."

Gibbs nodded. "OK, but you don't touch him, not a word McGee, got it?"

"Yes Boss." Tim capitulated.

* * *

Twenty minutes later they set off, Tony and Gibbs in one car and Ziva and Tim in another.

Another hour later, they pulled up outside a large house on Windsor Road in Belle Haven.

"Wow, your folks live here?" Tony whistled in appreciation, he came from money but this house was large even by his standards.

"Yeah." Tim said shyly and leaned against the car.

"DiNozzo, you're with me." Gibbs said as they walked up to the door.

Ziva stood next to Tim and held his arm for support.

Gibbs knocked the door and Ziva heard Tim's intake of breath as a stunning red headed woman opened the door.

'Mom' he whispered.

"Mrs McGee?" Gibbs said. She looked at him and then saw Tim. Gibbs watched her carefully as love concern then fear crossed her face. "He can't be here." She breathed.

"I'm Special Agent Gibbs NCIS; we're here to see Admiral McGee." Gibbs said showing his credentials.

"Viv, who's at the door?" A gruff voice came from the back. A large overbearing man came to the door.

"Gibbs, NCIS." Gibbs said showing his badge again.

The Admiral looked him up and down with disdain. The he looked and saw Tim standing with Ziva.

"YOU WERE TOLD NEVER TO COME BACK HERE!" He yelled forgetting the others and strode across his lawn grabbing Tim by the throat and slamming him up against the car.

"Get off me." Tim pulled the Admiral's hands off him.

"You and that kid of yours are scum boy; I don't want your kinda filth here!" The Admiral punched Tim in the stomach and as he fell turned to kick him.

Within seconds, he was in handcuffs.

"You're under arrest for assaulting a federal agent." Gibbs said.

"That's an agent." Admiral McGee sneered a slight smile crossed his face as his son flinched at his remark.

"Yeah and a great one too!" Tony countered back shoving the Admiral unceremoniously into the back of the sedan.

"McGee, Ziva. Follow up later; we'll take the Admiral in."

"Boss?" Tim asked confused.

"Visit with your mom Tim, the Admiral can stew a while." Gibbs said with a smirk.

* * *

Gibbs and Tony drove away and Tim took a couple of steps up the driveway.

"Mom?" he said tentatively unsure of her reaction.

She looked at him and where the Admiral had gone as soon as the car went out of sight she ran to Tim and flung her arms around him, "Timmy, my baby I've missed you so much." She cried.

He hugged her back, breathing in her scent and remembering just what she felt like, just in case he never had the chance again. "I've missed you to mom." He said his voice hoarse with emotion.

"Please," Vivian McGee said as she pulled back from her son, "Come in." she showed them into the living room.

Tim sat remembering his childhood in the home, the good and the bad.

 


	11. Chapter 11

Tim sat there sitting upright on his mother's sofa feeling uncomfortable.

He remembered growing up there, his mother calm and loving when his father wasn't around and the looks of disappointment, he got from his father.

He remembered when he was twelve and he had first stood up to his father.

* * *

Twelve-year-old Tim McGee had been working all week on his father's birthday card. The Admiral was due back from deployment today and Sarah and his mother had gone as usual to meet his ship as it docked. He had been ordered, to remain behind. Although all of Admiral McGee's shipmates knew about his dark haired, bright-eyed daughter, no one knew about his geeky embarrassment of a son.

Vivian and Sarah had spent two days decorating the living room with welcome home and happy birthday banners, streamers and balloons, Vivian, and her three-year-old daughter had made a slightly lopsided chocolate cake, which Sarah had decorated with a myriad of cake decorations.

Tim was working on a card from him, a seascape picture done in watercolor he had just the final additions to do, he had shown it to his art teacher at school who had been so impressed he had taken a photograph of it for Tim's art files. He had even suggested that Tim take up art as an elective next year. Tim had declined as he wanted to study computers but he had been pleased he had been able to impress his stoic art teacher. If it could impress him, surely his father would love it.

Tim heard the car door shut and Sarah's voice happily chatting to her father about her new friend in kindergarten floated in through the open window.

He carefully folded the card up, checked his appearance in the mirror and ran downstairs to where he knew his father would expect him to be when he opened the door.

The Admiral opened the door with a smile on his face as he listened to his daughter, which quickly faded as he saw is son standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Timothy." He snapped and Tim stood up straighter.

"Wel...Welcome b. ." Tim stammered.

The Admiral looked at his poor excuse for a son, "I see that therapist was a waste of my money," He snapped.

Tim immediately looked at the floor, "S…S…Sorry." He whispered, tucking the card behind his back.

The Admiral's attention was taken by Vivian walking into the room carrying a huge lopsided cake happily telling her husband that Sarah had helped her make it and how they had both decorated the living room. Tim sat in the corner, not daring to speak but enjoying seeing his mother and sister happy.

The girls chatting happily took the plates out to the kitchen and cleared up the mess as The Admiral turned to his son.

"My Office five minutes." The Admiral said and walked out of the room.

Tim ran upstairs to grab his report card knowing that was what his father wanted to see.

Exactly 4 minutes and fifty-nine seconds later, he knocked on the door of the study.

"Enter." The Admirals voice came from the other side.

Tim pushed open the door and placed his card for his father and his report card side by side on his desk.

The Admiral scowled at the A+ report card and then opened the birthday card. He took in the artwork and all the effort his son must have put in making it and looked over at his boy noticing the small spark of hope in his eyes.

With a sneer, he ripped the card up and threw it in the bin. "You could have done better." He said, "With both your grades and that pitiful excuse for a card."

* * *

"Tim… Timothy?" Tim heard his mothers' voice cutting through his memories, slamming him back to the present.

Vivian looked at her son, taking in the changes she could see in him.

"Why….Why did you never try and call me?" Tim asked quietly.

"You're father wouldn't allow it. He checks the phone records." Viv told her son. She passed him a coffee and Ziva a cup of Tea. "Can I see him, I mean…do you have a picture?" she asked tentatively.

Tim smiled and took a picture of Trey out of his wallet. He had one of him as a baby, one at three years old and one a few weeks ago taken for his sixth birthday.

Viv looked at them with tears in her eyes. "Oh my goodness Timmy, he's perfect."

Tim smiled at his mother's reaction.

"Mom, Dad's in real trouble, I don't think he's going to escape jail for this. I cannot tell you what he did, but it is bad. I just want to let you know if he goes to jail, I will be there to help where I can."

"Tim," Vivian took a deep breath "Is this about that top secret project you were working on in Norfolk?"

"What do you know about it mom?" Tim asked guardedly

"Your father found out you were working on a project for SECNAV, he was really mad he stormed around the house for days until he met a man…I can't remember his last name but his first name was Derek. I didn't like him. Both of them met in your father's study I heard them saying nasty things about you and Layla… I'm sorry Timmy I wanted to stop him, but he's my husband. I didn't know what to do."

"Mom you need to come in with us and give a statement," Tim said.

"But if he sees me…" She trailed off scared.

"He won't and besides I have someone back there who would really love to meet you." Tim smiled at his mother as she brightened up realizing she would finally get to meet her grandson.

Vivian got her coat and they all headed off to the navy yard.

* * *

They arrived and Vivian followed Ziva and Gibbs to the squad room. The elevator opened and Abby stood there waiting to go down.

"Hey Tim," she said looking at their visitor.

"Abby, this is my Mom, Vivian." Tim said

Abby took a step back and looked at her suspiciously.

"She's ok Abbs," Tim said and guided his mom onto the floor as Ziva made her way to the bullpen.

Abby grinned and hugged his mom. "Hello." She said.

Vivian laughed "Hello Abby,"

Trey came running round the corner, "Abby, Abby, you forgot my…" Trey stopped as he saw the new woman, grabbed hold of his dad's leg, and hid behind him.

Vivian bent down and looked at Trey, "Hello Trey, my name is Viv, I'm your Grandma."

Trey looked at his dad who nodded.

"Like Grandpa Ducky…Or a real Grandma?" He asked.

"I'm your daddy's mother, so I'm a real Grandma." Vivian said kindly.

Trey dropped the picture he was holding and launched himself at his Grandmother, "I always wanted a real Grandma!" he realized what he was doing and stepped back, "Is that ok….I mean…Am I ok…what you wanted?" he asked.

Vivian burst into tears, "You are perfect, I am so lucky to be your Grandma." She gathered him up, hugged, and kissed him.

"Abbs, I have to go and help Gibbs, Will you take my Mom and Trey to the break room?"

Abby nodded and as she ushered them away Tim pulled her up, "Stay with them, I know she's my mom…but I haven't seen her in a while I need you to keep my son safe." He asked.

Abby smiled at him, "Of course I will." She said and bounced off following them.

* * *

Gibbs sat at his desk and looked up as Tim entered the bullpen.

"Have you interviewed the Admiral yet?" Tim asked Gibbs.

"Na, letting him stew for a while," Gibbs grinned at the smile Tim gave,

"My mother has some information, she told Ziva and me so I brought her in, she's with Trey and Abby in the break room, and I was hoping Ziva could talk to her. I know I can't because of the conflict of interest." Tim said.

"Ok I'll send Ziva in the break room to talk to her." Gibbs said.

"Thanks Boss, but not in front of Trey ok?" Tim said and then hastily sat down as Gibbs gave him an 'as if you think I would' look.

 


	12. Chapter 12

Admiral McGee had sat in the interrogation room for five hours, apart from a meal and an Agent accompanying him to the head, no one had asked him any questions.

He was fuming. His life had been going great then that little shit turns up in his life again…he wasn't even sure he really was his son. He was too geeky and hated the water. Yet again Timothy McGee was the cause of his problems.

He sat there silently cursing the boy and that little half-breed of his.

The door opened and Agent Gibbs came in with Tim.

The Admiral gave him an undisguised look of disgust then hatred as Tim took the seat opposite from the Admiral and Gibbs sat in the corner.

"Isn't this a conflict of interest?" The Admiral asked Gibbs.

Gibbs shrugged his shoulders.

"Admiral McGee this would only be a conflict of interest if I actually gave a damn about you, Agent Gibbs is here for your protection that is all any questions you have and your confession will be directed to me," Tim said coldly.

"Why you little….." The Admiral started rising to his feet.

Tim stood up, "Agent McGee or Sir will be fine. Now, SIT DOWN!" His voice was forceful and rolled around the room; a raised eyebrow from Gibbs reassured McGee he was doing fine.

The Admiral sat shocked at his son's tone of voice.

"Now, you are going to tell me how you found out about Operation Lightning and how you tried to sell it off to pay your gambling debts." Tim said.

"You can't prove I have gambling debts, your nothing but a pencil pushing geek." The Admiral snarled.

Tim smiled.

At this, even Gibbs was scared; (Although he would never admit It.) here was a side of McGee he had never seen.

* * *

"Admiral McGee, I am a fully fledged Federal Agent," He leaned forwards and lowered his voice, "I can shoot the wings off a fly." He whispered to his father, and then he leaned back and raised his voice to a normal level as the Admiral swallowed in fear. "I am also as you put it a Geek, Admiral, everything is computerized these days, I know **everything** about you, and I do mean everything."

He opened a file the entire contents of Admiral's gambling debts, screenshots of his meetings with the Lentino crime family and his, what he thought were very candid shots of him, with his very male, second in command in a very compromising position.

At the photo's he blanched.

"How?" He breathed.

"Like you said yourself….I'm a Geek," Tim leant back in his chair as the Admiral took it all in.

"If your mother see's this it will destroy the family you can't do this to us again!" he got furious and Gibbs could see where Tim got his temper.

"Vivian McGee will be fine, she will testify against you and I have arranged for her to go into the witness protection programme where she will  **never** have to deal with you again." Tim said.

The Admiral grabbed Tim by the throat, Gibbs as asked, did nothing.

"You little shit, you should have stayed in the gutter where you belong." He snarled.

Tim twisted his arm and slammed the Admiral into the wall.

"I am right where I belong." He said back, "Now talk." He said shoving the now handcuffed Admiral back into his seat.

Admiral McGee sat and focused on the desk.

Seeing he had no choice the Admiral gave up all the information he had on the Lentino crime family and was, also informed by McGee that he would be subject to a Court Marshall.

"But….M…My R…Rank." The Admiral stuttered.

"You'll lose that," Said Tim with undisguised glee. "Oh and we can get someone to help with that stammer too!" He grinned.

"Have a nice life, Marion." He grinned.

* * *

At that and as he closed the door even Gibbs laughed, "Marion McGee?"

Tim smiled back at his boss, "Didn't you look at his records Boss, there was a reason we all called him The Admiral. Penny thought it would be empowering for him."

Gibbs wiped a small tear of mirth from his eyes. "You ok Tim?" he asked.

"Yeah, it may not have been empowering for him, but it did wonders for me. Do you think Ziva got anything out of my mom?" He asked.

"I don't know, you know she won't be put into witness protection just for testifying against your father don't you?" Gibbs said.

"I know, but I know she will move and if he thinks she's in protection…well, he won't try to find her." Tim said.

They both entered the bullpen as Ziva and Vivian walked in.

"Hey mom, how did it go?" Tim asked.

"Timothy, did you know….About your father and other….men?" she walked close to him and whispered the last word in his ear.

Tim walked her to a conference room.

Ziva went to follow but Gibbs headed her off. "He needs to do this alone." He told her.

* * *

The door shut and Tim sat his mother down in the chair.

"Mom, do you remember when dad stopped talking to me?" He asked.

"You were eleven, I had taken Sarah to my mothers, when I came back you two weren't speaking."

Tim sat in the chair next to her and held her hand as he flashed back in his mind to that weekend.

It was late afternoon, his mom had taken his sister to his grandmother's house for the weekend. Tim had been unwell and had spent the day in his room working on a model frigate his father had brought him.

He had heard voices downstairs, his father had a man from his ship over and Tim knew he was supposed to remain upstairs. However, his throat was so sore he thought he would just ask his father for a drink.

He got to his fathers study door and opened it a crack and his eyes went wide.

His father and his friend whom he knew were from the ship were leant over the desk, naked from the waist down grunts and groans emanating from both men.

The Admiral pulled out of his second in command and went over to clean himself up as Chet. His second spotted the boy. "HEY!" He yelled alerting his father to his presence.

Marion McGee had grabbed his son. "Timmy. You were told never to come down when I had company, now I don't know what you think you saw." He said.

"I didn't see anything." Tim said not wanting to get into any more trouble.

"Sir, you let me deal with this." Chet said.

The Admiral nodded and turned to Tim, "You do as your told boy." He snapped still mad and walked away.

Chet knelt down and stroked Tim's hair, "Come here boy." He said.

Tim took a step towards him.

* * *

Tim jumped as Vivian carried on talking to him. "Wasn't that the weekend you started to stutter?" she asked.

Tim went pale.

He ran out of the room made it halfway down the corridor and threw up.

"McGee?" Gibbs said coming over having seen Tim run out of the room.

"Timmy?" Vivian asked seeing the distress in her son's face.

"It's all my fault boss, if I hadn't gone downstairs…" Tim sagged against the wall and sobbed.

Both Vivian and Gibbs looked at each other confused.

Vivian put her arm around her son, "Whatever your father did to you that weekend was not your fault." She said trying to comfort him.

Tim sniffed and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"Wasn't him." He said between sniffs.

Gibbs looked at him, "It was Chet…his second…he…..he…..oh God Boss…He raped me…I didn't remember….why couldn't I remember." Tim collapsed into a sobbing heap. "I told dad, he said it was my fault for being bad, that I had been seeing lies, and now I was telling them, then he beat me and told me not ever to tell."

Right then Gibbs wanted to go and beat the ex-admiral to a pulp.

Tim sniffed again and wiped his eyes, "Where's Trey, I need to see him, I need to know he's safe." He got up and headed for Abby's lab, with Vivian and Gibbs on his heels.

 


	13. Chapter 13

Tim ran into Abby's lab and scooped Trey up in his arms.

"Daddy?" Trey said confused as to the reason his dad was hugging him and crying. "Did momma hurt you again?" he started getting agitated himself looking behind his father as if expecting to see his mother in the doorway.

"No baby, I just got a bit upset and needed to see that you were safe." Tim said hurt that he had inadvertently scared his son

"I'm fine daddy, I've been helping Abby with Major Mass Spec and we took my DNA look daddy, it's like yours." He said smiling.

Tim looked up a smidgen of anger then a huge smile crossed his face.

"It is Trey it really is, just like mine." He smiled "Do you want to stay with Abby for a bit longer; I still have some work to do."

Trey smiled, "Yes please Daddy that is, if it's ok with you Auntie Abby?" He grinned showing everyone the gap in his teeth from the latest tooth he had lost last night.

Abby clutched at her heart and feigned fainting, "Aww… he called me Auntie Abby he loves me!" she exclaimed.

"But I do Auntie Abby!" Trey said running over and hugging her legs.

The other adults in the room all smiled.

Tim kissed his son, "I'll see you later then" he said and left the room.

* * *

Gibbs and Vivian followed.

Once they were out of earshot, Tim directed them both to an empty room.

"Boss, mom needs to see those photos." Tim said.

"Ok Tim, it's your call if you think it will help." Gibbs said.

"I do." Tim said.

"Timmy, why did you look mad at that young lady for showing Trey his DNA?" Vivian asked, Gibbs was interested in the answer as well.

Tim looked at his feet unwilling to admit his biggest fear.

"I didn't know….not for sure… until Abby showed us…there was some doubt Trey was my son." Tim admitted.

"But you stayed and went through that anyway?" Gibbs asked.

"Went through what?" Vivian asked.

Tim stood up and started pacing the room.

"Layla, Trey's mom…."

"Oh, do I get to meet her?" Vivian asked.

"NO!" Gibbs and Tim said together.

"Oh?" Vivian looked confused.

"She's been sentenced to 3 years for spousal abuse and the attempted murder of a federal agent." Gibbs told them both, he had found out about her hearing that morning, she had pleaded guilty and had her case fast tracked. Gibbs had been informed by phone just before Tim and his mother had returned.

Tim looked up in surprise.

"She pled guilty?" he asked and Gibbs nodded.

Tim sat heavily, "So….we're safe?" he asked.

"Yes Tim. Derek Johnson's hearing is next week, if we can get the Admiral's statement against him and yours as well, Mrs. McGee, we should be able to send him down for a long time."

* * *

Tim's mind was reeling; he could see the indecision in his mothers mind about giving evidence against his father, "Mom. It wasn't just that he let Chet rape me….there's something else you need to see….I'm sorry mom…" Tim said taking the folder from Gibbs' hand and sliding it across the table to his mother.

Vivian opened the folder and looked at the photographs of her husband with another man.

She looked at them and closed the folder, "I knew son." She said,

Tim looked incredulous "You knew?"

Vivian nodded and looked up at the hurt in her son's eyes. "Oh God NO! Tim…At no time did I have any idea  **that** had happened to you, I knew you and your father had a strained relationship…I thought you knew about him sleeping with men and had fought about it. Then I heard about you and that woman…Layla? Then I thought that was what you had fought about."

"Really Mom!" Tim said getting angry. "I developed a stutter at eleven years old. The Admiral refuses to talk to me from then on or spend any time with me, when I crashed my car at sixteen he never even came to the hospital for more than signing the consent form…And you thought that was my fault because I found out he was GAY!" Tim thumped his fists at the table.

"You were my mother! You were supposed to protect me. I know you couldn't protect me from the rape; I don't blame you from that, but from him! You could have protected me from him!" Tim was angry years of hurt were flooding to the surface and he couldn't stop his tears from falling. It hadn't even occurred to him that his boss was still in the room.

Gibbs had sat back, he knew Tim needed to get this out for his own healing and as long as no one was physically hurt, he'd stand down.

Vivian got up and hugged her son as he fell to his knees.

"I'm sorry Timmy, I'll give you what you need, and I've been so blind I believed him, I promise he'll never come near either of you again." She said stroking his hair as he sobbed into her shoulder. "I didn't know…..I was scared he'd leave me, that I'd be alone." She cried as she admitted her failing to him.

"Mom," Tim sat back and composed himself so fast that Gibbs swore he saw a Tony-taught mask, fly onto his face. "You need to do your statement now," he said the scared and hurt little boy instantly replaced by the cold professional Federal Agent.

Vivian nodded and Gibbs gestured to the window behind Tim, where he knew a tech was on duty.

* * *

Vivian spent the next hour going over all she knew and by the end of it they had enough remembered phone calls and her being a witness to meetings between The Admiral, Derek Johnson and different members of the Lentino crime family to make charges on both of them stick.

As she finished she looked at her son.

"I am very proud of you Tim," She said, she knew it was not much and he probably would not think it meant much but she needed to say it anyway.

"You….you are?" Tim said.

Vivian stood up and put her hands on his shoulders, "Yes I am, you are an excellent father and Federal Agent, you have good friends which also shows me the type of man you became in spite of your father's influence."

"No mom, I became the man I am because of his influence, I was and am determined to be the opposite of him."

Vivian looked at her son with new-found pride. Over the last seven years, she had believed the lies that her husband had fed her and knew that now… now he was going, hopefully to jail and she had a chance to rebuild her life that she could finally do it the way she wanted, with her son and her Grandson as a part of her life.

"Tim, I think that as much as you were hurt by your father and Layla, I had the emotional abuse of your fathers to deal with and you had the physical….if you will allow me, Tim, can we heal together?"

Gibbs looked over hoping this would be a turning point in Tim's recovery and his healing with his family.

Tim looked wary but nodded. "I'd like to try." He said.

Gibbs slipped out of the room as Tim and his mom hugged and together started to heal.

 


End file.
